Smoker&#39;s ash receptacle



July 14, 1953 c, KNAPP 2,645,230

SMOKERS ASH RECEPTACLE Filed D60. 31, 1947 36 IN VEN TOR.

v arrow/v57 I Patented July 14, 1953 UNITED STATES; OFFICE SMOKERS ASH RECEPTACLE i Charles Knapp, Mariners HarbonN. Y.

Application December 31, 1 947, SerialNo. 795,032 g l The present invention, receptacles and the like, and'more particularly to such receptacles adapted to bemountedalong the edge of the top of articles of furniture, such as desks, tables or the like.

Ash trays are used extensively by smokers on home and ofiice desks, work tables, conference tables, game tables, bars, drawing boards and ing. Where a number of smokers convene for" work, discussion or play,- a greater number, ofash trays are required'which seriously increases the difliculties caused by the foregoing described conditions. 1

Accordingly, an object ofthe present invention elates to smokers"ash I l-Clainl. (Cl. 131241) be of considerable length and may beprovided "with'a plurality of apertures in the top toac-.

' ceptacle may be a part of the article of furniis to provide an improved smokers ash receptacle which overcomes the foregoing 'difilculties and,

objections.

Another object is to provide such an ash receptacle, which is readily prepared for use and effectively confines the contents thereof.

Another object is to provide such an ash receptacle which can be readily emptied.

Another object is to provide such an ashreceptacle which can accommodate one or more smokers.

Another object is to provide such an ash receptacle which is adapted to be used advantageously in conjunction With articles of furniture.

A further object is to provide such an ash receptacle which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture. 1

Other and further objects will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described, or will be indicatedin the appended claim, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

In accordance with the present invention, the

foregoing objects and advantages are accomplished by providing an ash receptacle comprising a tubular body adapted to be supported in wherein ture'in conjunction with which it is used and in such case be mounted in a manner to position it for easy removal of the contents. 1

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and de-. scription and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, illustrating an ash receptacle in accordance with the invention as beingused in conjunction with an ofiice desk. Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of the ash receptacle desk shownin Figure l.

Figure 3 15a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially alongthe line3'-3 on Figure 1, illustrating the receptacle in an inclined position to facilitate emptying thereof.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 454 on Figure 1.

seen in Figures 1 and- 4, having an upper or'top surface [4 which is substantially flush with the top of the desk and is provided with a suitable number of spaced ash receiving apertures or openings I5. The apertures are so located that a numberof people seated at the desk have con venient access thereto for disposing cigarette,

cigar or pipe ashes or cigarette or cigar butts or other refuse.

Preferably, the end l6 of the body is permanently closed (Figure .2) while the end I! opposite the end I6 is provided with an opening [9 normally closed by a movable closure 20 (Figure 1) which is adapted to be moved out of closed position (Figure 3) to facilitate removal of the contents of the body. The closure 20, as shown, may be in the form of a flap hinged to or pivotally mounted at its upper end to the top of the body of the receptacle adjacent the opening IS. The flap or closure 20 has a projection 2| at its lower 7 end to facilitate manual engagement thereof and the lower side of the body has a regaging a portion of the projection to assist in retaining the flap in its closed position.

Each of the apertures I5 is provided with means for opening and closing the same, which means, as shown, may be in the form of a tray member or gate mounted adjacent the aperture for movement in a substantially horizontal plane. To provide such movement, the members 25 have one end pivotally mounted at 26 to the top of the tubular body and the front side of the receptacle has a slot 21 adjacent each of the apertures l5 to facilitate moving the members 25 outwardly to expose the apertures. When the members 25 are in their inward position they serve to close the apertures and substantially seal off the receptacle.

The members 25 further are provided with a groove. or recess 29 -for receiving and maintaining a cigarette or cigar thereon, as shownin Figure 2 at the right hand side, and the top of the tubular body has slots 30 therein joining each of the apertures 15 with the slots 21 and cooperating with the grooves29 for receiving a cigarette or cigar. In addition,.the outer end of each member 25 opposite its pivoted end is formed with a manually engageable projection 3| for facilitating moving the tray member. into open and closed position.

The ash receptacle l2 may be mounted orsupported on the desk in any. suitable manner, but preferably is arranged so that it may be emptied without removing the same from the desk, This.

is accomplished by pivotally mounting the end I! of the receptacle to the desk, for example, by a hinge having one leaf 36 secured to the underside of the top of the desk and having its other leaf 31 secured tothe underside of the bottom of the receptacle. In this manner the receptacle may be inclined as shown in Figure 3, and the closure 20 may be opened to permit the contents of the receptacle to slide downwardly through the opening I9 and into a waste basket or other container for disposing the contents.

The other end 16 of the ash receptacle and the middle thereof are supported by outwardly extending brackets 39 secured to the underside of the top of the desk (Figure 4). These brackets may be provided with an upwardly extending portion 40 for frictionally engaging the front of the receptacle to retain the same in its desired position with respect to the desk top (Figures 1 and 2. If desired, the receptacle could be supported entirely by two or more'brackets 39, thus permitting the receptacle to be removed from the desk.

The thickness of the desk top I I may be greater or less than the height of the receptacle I2. As will be noted in Figure 3, the thickness of the desk top is less than that of the receptacle. In such cases, a suitable number of members, such as shims 42, may be secured between the hinge 36 and the underside of the desk to equalize the distances between the pivot of the hinge and the desk top and receptaclawhereby the latter surfaces may be disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane. Also, the horizontal receptacle supporting surfaces of the bracket members 39, in such cases, may be provided with similar shims. In this manner the ash receptacle may be utilized with desks having tops of varying thickness.

In Figure 5, a modified form of ash tray I2 is shown, which is similar in all respects to the receptacle shown in Figures 1 to 4, except that it is relatively short and has a single aperture [5.

This receptacle is designed for individual use and can be clamped to the arm of a chair, underneath a bridge table, or in other locations by means of a resilient clamping strip having an upwardly extending free end and a fixed end secured to the underside of the receptacle.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved ash receptacle or the like, which is conveniently positioned, is readily emptied, and does not interfere with material on a desk, table or the like.

The receptacle is relatively simple in construction and can be manufactured economically. The ash receptacles are sturdily constructed and can withstand the rough usage to which they may be subjected.

Since various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts herein, withoutv departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matters are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

I claim:

An ash receptacle adapted to be secured to an edge of a desk top flush with'the upper surface of said top comprisinga receptacle having a rectangular section, a flat top wall having an ash receiving aperture, a front side wall having a narrow elongated slot adjacent the top wall and said aperture, said top wall having a slotted portion connecting said aperture and said elongated slot, a fiat gate member movably disposed in the slotbelow the aperture, and means for pivotally supporting said gate member adjacent to the underside of the top wall whereby the gate may be pivoted in a single plane in and out of said slot to open and close said aperture, said gate member having a transverse groove in its upper portion adapted to receive a cigarette, said groove being in substantial alignment with the slotted portion Of the top wall when thegate member is partially withdrawn from the elongated slot to permit the cigarette to rest in the groove and the slotted portion simultaneously.

CHARLES F. KNAPP.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 160,676 Imlay Mar. 9, 1875 540,665 Houghton' June 11, 1895 581,127 McCorkle Apr. 20, 1897 606,025 Perry June 21, 1898 808,534 Gardinier Dec. 26, 1905 842,613 Bigelow Jan. 29, 1907 939,125 Fealy Nov. 2, 1909 1,131,150 McCarroll Mar. 9, 1915 1,159,198 Elliott Nov. 2, 1915 1,480,168 Lambert Jan. 8, 1924 1,701,833 Aceto Feb. 12, 1929 1,812,850 Axell July 7, 1931 1,912,598 Snadden June 6, 1933 1,996,540 Fageol et al. Apr. 2, 1935 2,032,964 Vuccino Mar. 3, 1936 2,062,639 Cartwright Dec. 1, 1936 2,080,210 Maffra May 11, 1937 2,327,513 Esterow Aug. 24, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 175,927 Germany Nov. 13, 1906 755,242, France Nov. 21, 1933 

